Two Princesses (Part II)

A slight breeze of change blew through the kingdom as the princesses softened toward each other. And true to form, change came very slowly. It began with a smile and then a, "Hello." They were taught to be polite, after all (even to enemies!). As time drew on, it seemed that they constantly found themselves at the same functions in the same company of acquaintences. The princesses simply could not be rid of one another! The Princess of Beaconsfield did well at ignoring the Princess of Candleberry, but the fair haired princess was very haughty and the presence of a rival did not bode well with her and all the kingdom was made to know it! Eventually, she decided that she could be seen in the company of the Princess of Beaconsfield, but she and everyone else would surely know who was more fair and more talented. Naturally, the Princess of Beaconsfield did not appreciate the constant comparisons. However she was taught to have impecable manners, so when the time came for her coming of age fete, she invited the Princess of Candleberry- mostly out of obligation, but ever so slightly out of kindness. Low and behold, the princesses found that they could indeed enjoy the company of the other, especially if neither of them was compelled to sing. More invitations followed as the seed of friendship was planted and began to grow.

Since both princesses were now of age, it came time to set the course for their lives, as was customary in the kingdoms. The Princess of Candleberry was eager to fulfill her academic destiny and chose to explore the uncharted territory of the human mind and experince. For this she was not required to leave her kingdom, which pleased her. She could explore her world through books and all the while continue to grow in her reign. Not surprisingly, the Princess of Beaconsfield did not chose the same path. Books were not enough to satisfy her. She longed to explore kingdoms and experiences outside her own. She dreamed of breathing the air of new worlds that she had only seen in books. So, she began to seek out opportunites to travel outside her kingdom.

During one such opportunity, her path crossed that of the Dark Knight. He was so different than anyone she had known. He was strong, impulsive, dangerous and brooding. The raven haired princess was intrigued and fell victim to his spell. At first, the Dark Knight treated her like a queen instead of a princess. His world revolved around every breath that she took and step that she made. She was flattered and pleased to have so much attention without competition. She reveled in this new life. Yet, a time came when the Dark Knight required attention of his own. Suddenly, the Princess of Beaconsfield was gravely obligated and seemed to have no choice but to acquiesce.

To be continued...